Driving home from the office one evening this week, I witnessed a sight that made me laugh and filled me with curiosity. It was nearly dark, a little after eight o'clock as I drove past a row of apartment buildings I pass with regularity. I always notice this block of apartments because there are often family groups sitting on the small porches, adults may be having conversations while children play close by with small toys. There is no play equipment near the apartments, no swing set or jungle gym. The children always seem to be entertaining themselves with whatever is at hand.

There is a stop light at the corner by the apartments and I had come to rest at the red light. That's when I noticed that the porches were empty, the lights now on inside the apartments and the people, no doubt, tucked inside for the night. Except for one boy, probably about eight years old. He was crouching just off the porch in the shadows of a scraggly bush that has yet to find its summer foliage. I was intrigued. He looked around, as if to make sure he was alone and began trying, over and over again, to do the deep knee bend dance movement most often associated with Russian dance, as seen in the soldiers dance in Fiddler on the Roof. The boy was determined. He jumped down, both knees bent as he tried to flick first one leg and then the other out at a right angle, his arms folded regally across his chest. My red light stop continued glowing as I watched him try over and over to execute this move. Just as the light went green, he did it. He successfully did the crouch-kick-crouch-kick move and a huge smile spread across his face. And mine.

As I drove on I wondered what could have possibly caused this young boy to head outside on a warm spring evening to try this particular move. Had he seen someone else dance in this way? Was he too embarrassed to try it inside in front of family members no doubt trying to watch television or do homework? Maybe he was in a school play and this was a part of his big dance number. Who knows? But the sight gave me such joy.

I thought of all the times I have imagined myself creating a move I have seen someone else do that seemed beautiful, graceful. I wanted to be able to do that too. Why, even as recent as the Winter Olympics, I tried to imagine myself doing some of the ice skating spins that the skaters were doing. When I mentioned this, my husband pointed out that knowing how to ice skate might be a first step! think of some of the lovely movements I see people do on my guilty pleasure show, Dancing With the Stars. Watching these brave people learn new steps each week and then show them off in front of an audience always gives me the itch to try also. I can imagine there are many people who, after watching the show, try a few of the steps in the privacy of their own homes. Lifting arms, gliding across the floor in sweatpants or sneakers, for at least a moment we can have the opportunity to do our own sweet moves. 

Maybe that is what lured the young boy outside just as dark approached to see if he, too, could do 'that move'. The dream of being able to kick, spin, leap and slide have kept people dancing throughout time. I am glad the dream and the tradition continues, aren't you? The Friday night ahead could be a fine one for dancing. I say, go for it!

Have a blessed weekend………………..

"Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!"  ~Constanze